Exhibitor's Trade Review (Sep-Nov 1921)

October 1, 1921 EXHIBITORS TRADE REVIEW 1231 Theatre Building Campaign in Michigan Rapid Improvement in Conditions Throughout State Disclosed by First National Survey — Score of Houses Planned — Kunsky to Open 4,200 Seat House IN spite of the fact that Michigan was hit by a hot weather and business depression combination that all but delivered the knockout wallop to the motion picture' show business in that section, one of the most sudden and remarkable comebacks ever recorded in business annals is now being written into the right side of the ledgers of the film houses thereabouts. These facts are* established by a survey conducted by Associated First National Pictures, Inc., and which is being extended to every territory in the country. Michigan probably felt the depression in business more acutely than any other section, because it is the seat of the automobile industry, and motor cars were the first to feel the effects of the buying slump. Thousands were out of work and begging on the streets of Detroit, while in the principal cities of the state, which also are motor car centres, conditions were very similar. Keen business minds at the head of the motor car industry, however, have fought their way back and at the present time, through some radical but sagacious moves, have brought business to a point closer to normal than any person in the most optimistic section of the gallery believed possible. With no war orders and no high prices possible for motor cars, the manufacturers decided on a price-cutting war and a bid for volume business. One by one the manufacturers slashed prices, some as many as four and five times within the past six months, and now automobiles are down to a low buying level, and the manufacturers are working on a basis that gives them a fair profit into the bargain. The Ford plants in Detroit report the largest production in history, and are months behind on delivery orders. The General Motors Company, which recently completed the largest office building in the Middle West, announce plans for extensions and increased labor in Jackson, Saginaw, Flint, Pontiac, Lansing and other key cities of the state where they manufacture either cars or car parts. The Durants have announced plans for a large plant in Lansing and another in Flint. Furniture manufacturers, hit by a slump two months ago, are now coming back strong with new lines and increased labor which puts Grand Rapids strongly to the front again. Copper in northern Michigan is once more coming into its own. Crops are reported to be the biggest in the history of the Wolverine state. Men Returning to Work The State Labor Commissioner's reports each week show a gradually increasing number of men being returned to work. These reports are regarded as one of the most accurate barometers of business conditions. Spurred on by all of these hopeful business tidings and a lessening pressure on money at the banks, Michigan exhibitors are in the midst of an extension and building campaign that indicates a 100 per cent degree of optimism in the possibilities of the show business. Nearly a score of theatres are nearing completion in Detroit, while others are being enlarged or remodeled. The biggest venture is John H. Kunsky's new Capitol Theatre, which will be ready on Dec. 15, according to the present outlook, and which will house 4200 people. It will be one of the largest theatres in the United States. The Capitol is situated directly across the street from the Kunsky Madison, in the heart of the Detroit business and hotel district, and will give the Kunsky interests three large first run theatres within a stone's throw of each other. According to announcement made last week, Mr. Kunsky will divide his First National productions between the Madison and new Capitol, while the Adams will be turned over to special productions, which will be given as long runs as they will stand. Heretofore the policy of week runs at the Madison and Adams was unbroken only at unusual instances, but the new plans will give Mr. Kunsky the opportunity to play long runs whenever he thinks that a picture merits it. Other new theatres in Detroit are: The Tuxedo, 1800 seats; the Harmony, 1800 seats; Cinderella, 1500 seats; Grand River, 3500 seats; the Northern, 2000 seats. There are also more than a dozen smaller theatres that will seat from 1000 to 500 persons in the course of construction in various neighborhoods of Detroit. They all will be completed before Nov. 1, according to present plans. New Theatres and Extensions The state, immediately outside of Detroit, is also opening up with many new theatres and extensions. Mt. Clemens makes its fall bid with a brand new 2500-seat house, called the New Macomb, which is under the guidance of Bert Williams, the well-known Detroit legitimate and picture theatre house proprietor. In Adrian Angell & Codd will open a house, which is being remodeled at a cost of $30,000. Angell & Codd are the present First National franchise holders at Niles, and have decided to extend their operations to several other cities. Fitzpatrick & McElroy, who control more than a dozen theatres in fifteen cities on the western lake shore of the state, announce the erection of a new theatre in Benton Harbor, which will make the third in that city now under their operation. After a shut down of several weeks all of the Fitzpatrick houses have again reopened. The Lyric Theatre of Laurlum has been entirely remodeled and will be opened after having been closed for three years. This town is in the upper peninsula, but has harbored only one theatre because of the closing of the copper mines. The opening of the mines, however, is an indication of increased prosperity in many of the upper cities of Michigan. W. S. Butterfield announces that he will eliminate vaudeville in both his Jackson and Battle Creek theatres this fall, and will play first run motion pictures exclusively. This will give Jackson three first run houses for pictures — the Orpheum, Rex and Majestic. Mr. Butterfield, besides completing and opening his beautiful new Strand Theatre in Lansing, has made improvements on practically all of his theatres during the summer months. Announcement has just been^ made at Grand Rapids that J. W. Goodspeed will take over the Powers Theatre, which has hitherto housed only legitimate attractions, and will turn it into a first run motion picture theatre. This will give Goodspeed two first run houses in the center of the city, the Isis and Powers, if the report is true. H. G. Sommers & Co., present lessees of Powers Theatre, Grand Rapids, have announced their plans for building a $300,000 theatre on Upper Monroe Avenue, there. Plans call for excavations to commence on Sept. 25 and the completed building by Sept. 1, 1922. It will be a five-story office building and will have a theatre seating capacity of 1800. The general plans are similar to those of the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City. The Regent Theatre, which has been in the course of construction for the past two years in Grand Rapids, has also taken a sudden spurt and it now appears that this house will be completed in about six months. Present plans call for a policy of first run pictures and vaudeville. The house will seat 3500. With the Regent Theatre completed and Powers transferred into a picture house, Grand Rapids would support four downtown first run picture theatres, where it now has but two — the Isis and Majestic Gardens. Herbert Weil, who eight months ago sold his Port Huron interests to the Reid Brothers in Port Huron, they later reverting to W. S. Butterfield, has made announcement of plans for a new 2000-seat house in Port Huron. His company has been organized and ground will be broken within a few days, it is stated. At Midland, W. A. Cassidy, First National franchise holder, is pushing plans for the erection of his new theatre which will seat j.700. John* H. Kunsky has announced that he will break ground for a new theatre in Highland Park some time next spring.